PANDEMIC EXPOSURE

Professor Troy Tassier explodes the myth that epidemics are a ‘great leveller' and exposes how pandemics deepen societal divides throughout history.

In 2020, the poor and marginalized across the world were thrust onto the front lines of the war with COVID-19. Minority populations in both the US and UK were struck down by the virus at rates greatly exceeding their representation in the population. These same groups faced increased economic hardships as well.

From the Black Death to the great influenza in 1918, epidemics systematically intensify and inflate the inequality present in society. The reasons for this disparity are hidden in plain sight. Unequal access to healthcare and overcrowding in cities are only part of the story. Looking at the historical context of previous epidemics together with insights gleaned from the fields of economics, epidemiology, and social network analysis, Professor Tassier uses a light touch to explain the origins of this inequity and how it is more deeply rooted in our societies than ever previously understood or reported in the media.

Troy Tassier Ph.D., is Professor of Economics at Fordham University with additional affiliations in the Urban Studies Program and the International Political Economy and Development Program. A world expert in the fields of economic epidemiology and social networks, he is frequently quoted on the COVID-19 pandemic by major media outlets including Associated Press, Reuters, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post and ABC news, among others.